Monica Piquero-Tan considers her work as a Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) head to be no different from her role as a mother. Similar to her dedication to loving and taking care of her children, Monica is also committed to keeping the people of San Francisco, Camotes Island safe and protected.
Since the establishment of the LGU San Francisco MDRRMO over a decade ago, it has only been led by two women leaders, including Monica. She started in the operations department and eventually became its chief in 2021. She is proud to witness the growth of their team throughout the years and vows to continue their efforts in fostering a culture of preparedness in their community.
“It took us years to earn the trust of the people of San Francisco and I am happy with what our disaster response team has become today. Our secret to overcoming hardships is our common goal of protecting our constituents, driven by unity and respect for one another, regardless of gender and position,” said Monica.
For the past three years, Monica has demonstrated great leadership by taking a motherly approach to managing her team and achieving disaster risk reduction objectives. “I focused on utilizing my strengths. As a mother, it is in my nature to go the extra mile to ensure my children's well-being, and it is the same mindset that fuels me to protect our people and make our island community resilient to various disasters,” she shared.
Many women in San Franciso are already involved in disaster preparedness and response initiatives. The municipality aims to empower more women residents to join or lead disaster risk reduction groups at the barangay level by organizing various trainings and awareness campaigns. Also, LGU San Francisco is one of the beneficiaries of PLDT and Smart Ligtas Kit in 2023. The Ligtas Kit is an all-in-one emergency communications package that contains essential communication devices that would augment the emergency response of the municipality.
“Disaster risk reduction leaders have unique ways of advancing disaster management, but I am certain that one of the things we have in common is our passion for serving our people and promoting disaster resilience,” said Monica.
PLDT and Smart salute women DRRMO leaders like Monica who go above and beyond to maintain and ensure the safety of her community. The PLDT group’s efforts to boost the disaster preparedness of island communities nationwide highlight its commitment to helping the country achieve UNSDG #11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities.
